More important recognition from the United States for Pirelli, which took part in the Ford World Excellence Awards ceremony at Dearborn, Michigan, on 23 April, when the company received the prestigious trophy for its optimum delivery performance during the course of 2009.

The protagonist of this trophy is the tyre factory at Guacara, Venezuela, from which the Pirelli tyres destined for Ford depart.

Now in its 12th year, the 2010 ceremony rewarded 40 suppliers from 17 different countries, 13 in the ‘gold’ category and 27 – among them Pirelli – in the silver.

“Suppliers play a critical role in the ONE Ford transformation. Thank you to all of our award winners for the support and commitment to helping Ford serve our customers worldwide with the very best cars and trucks”, said Alan Mulally, president and CEO of the Ford Motor Company.